Enhancements to FasTrak PR Project Update Retail Market Subcommittee September 13, 2006 Adam Martinez Mgr, Market Operations DPO

Recent Activities – API Issues  ERCOT reported to the Market on August 15 th that the product launch, scheduled for August 26, would be delayed  SOAP Header Interoperability Issue - Delay was result of API interoperability issue discovered between ERCOT and Market Participants  ERCOT specified SOAP standard; did not specify “required” software tools for Market to use when generating API messages  Difference in tools used by Market Participants and ERCOT delivered slight differences in message Header information  Header information generated by “sender” did not match Header information expected by “receiver”  Each of 5 MPs coding for API had to work with ERCOT individually to resolve issue because resolution depended on software tools used and changes specific for resolution

Recent Activities – API Issues  In addition to the SOAP Header issue, two additional API- related issues were identified during the interoperability resolution period  XML Issue  Specific to each MP; discovered during dev tests of SOAP Header fix  Case-by-case simple (incorrect or missing data, incorrect format), but time-consuming activity due to differences specific to each MP  API Market Certification Requirements Issue  Differences expectations between ERCOT and Market  ERCOT expecting full functionality certification based on TTPT scripts delivered for Market test  TTPT communicated to MPs that full functionality testing not required, MPs only certify for functions to be used

Recent Activities – API Issues  ERCOT and Market have resolved all known API issues  4 of 5 MPs report readiness; 5 th MP not using API at initial launch  API Issues Resolutions  SOAP Header Interoperability Issue  Resolved via fixes specific to each MP, but contained bulk of recode efforts to ERCOT code  ERCOT will update API documentation to clarify standard and toolset options for future use  XML Issue  Resolved through 1-on-1 technical reviews and development testing cycles with each MP  API Market Certification Requirements Issue  Addressed via input and clarity from TTPT  ERCOT making changes to API permissions and Market test requirements to align with TTPT direction

Current Events – GUI Issues  ERCOT currently addressing 2 GUI-related issues  Excel Scientific Notation Issue – when downloading long numbers from data to Excel (e.g. ESI IDs), number converts to scientific notation because field not recognized as text  Vendor ruled out root cause within product code; inherent in MS Excel  ERCOT proceeding with investigation of internal options for solution  Dev testing of fix options underway; fix expected for initial launch  Mass Update Issue – when a mass update request submitted by several users at same time, updates for some fail while others are successful  Feature functionally works, but may require resubmission to complete  No data integrity concerns related to multiple failed attempts  Product vendor, Serena, engaged onsite at ERCOT to resolve issue  No ETA for delivery of fix

ERCOT Recommendation  At this time, ERCOT cannot provide revised budget & schedule revisions that reflect all known impacts  Mass Update fix remains unknown; revisions to current estimates exclude impact of that issue  Seeking RMS input and feedback today in support of ERCOT recommendation and budget request to be presented to ERCOT Board next week  ERCOT Recommendation: proceed with remaining project activities in support of launch; do not wait on Mass Update fix  Remove Mass Update fix from critical path  Deliver product to Market sooner, albeit with Mass Update feature that requires possible resubmissions to complete updates  Keep Mass Update fix a high priority item with intent to deliver ASAP

Known Budget and Schedule Impacts  Budget Impact  Budget increase, EXCLUDING fix for Mass Update issue, is estimated at $188K  Total project budget cap increasing from $2.5MM to $2.7MM  Project costs to date have maxed the approved budget cap  Includes completion of planned activities through GUI Market Testing  Includes completion of unplanned work and/or re-work related to analysis and coding efforts for API & GUI issues (excluding Mass Update issue)  Schedule Impact  If proceed with project immediately and avoid continued delay from Mass Update issue, remaining activities will consume up to a 10-week period  New Market go-live date is November 11  This schedule minimizes impacts from ERCOT planned blackout periods and conflicts from other projects in pipeline (RBP & TX SET 3.0)  Details on next 2 slides

Budget Increase Detail Labor CategoryPlanned Work – Not Yet Completed Unplanned Work – New/Repeat Internal Labor $78,640$75,215 External Labor $0$16,671 Contingency $0$17,053 Totals $78,640$108,939 Project ActivityPlanned Work – Not Yet Completed Unplanned Work - New/Repeat API and GUI issues resolution (to date)X – New Product Testing (pTest) / iTest PrepX – Repeat iTest Environment MigrationX – Repeat ERCOT UAT – GUI & API Regression TestX – Repeat Market CERT Test – APIX Production MigrationX Production Stabilization Prior to Market ReleaseX - New Market ReleaseX Project ClosureX Estimated budget increase is $187,579 and all Labor-related plus 10% contingency

New Schedule Accounts for separate ERCOT and Market Release Dates * Dates tentative; final dates locked by end of week Proposed Schedule Detail Project ActivityDurationDates* API and GUI issues resolution (to date)Ongoing since 8/15 4 wks 8/15 – 9/15 Product Testing (pTest) / iTest Prep1 wk9/11 – 9/15 iTest Environment Migration1 wk9/18 – 9/22 ERCOT UAT – GUI & API Regression Test 4 wks9/25 – 10/20 Market CERT Test – API2 wks10/23 – 11/03 Market Training Window1 wk11/03 – 11/10 Production Migration & Stabilization Prior to Market Release 2 wks10/30 – 11/10 Market Release1 day11/13 Project Closure4 wks11/13 – 12/8

Other Topics - Deferred Business Requirements Deferred Business Requirements Defect / IssueReason to DeferStatus Bulk Insert Performance – The requirement states that each issue submitted via Bulk Insert must be submitted in three seconds or less In the testing environment, issues submitted via Bulk Insert consistently are submitted in 4.5 seconds Target fix post-launch when production stats are confirmed. ERCOT will monitor results to ensure optimal performance and minimal impact to user experience. TML to MarkeTrak Link prompts for Digital Cert twice The business requirement states that users will only have to enter their digital certificate once. This defect only occurs when users access MarkeTrak via TML Target fix post-launch. Current work- around is for users to create “Favorites” link directly to MarkeTrak to avoid additional prompt for certificate. While there are 3 concurrent users (same dig cert) the MarkeTrak system does not properly display the error messages for invalid data ERCOT has repeatedly educated the Market during this effort that all users need to have their own digital certificate This is not an issue impacting requirements as ERCOT has required that all users be assigned individual digital certificates. Inadvertent Switch Issues – The Siebel call is not populating all of the necessary data The business requirement states that MarkeTrak will interface with Siebel to auto-populate information associated with Inadvertent Switch issues after it is submitted to ERCOT Targeting fix post-launch. ERCOT has already agreed to continue to support Siebel data population via manual steps as done today. ERCOT will monitor volumes of Inadvertant Switch Issues and will escalate issue resolution if volumes become unmanageable.

Other Topics – Digital Certificates  RMS asking for information related to ERCOT’s Digital Certificate Audit and plans for incorporation of MarkeTrak certificates to be included in audit scope  Digital Certificate Audit responsibility is with Larry Grimm,  Request for information delivered too late to respond by today  Will plan to deliver information to RMS at October meeting  If desired, can also address topic during a weekly Monday call with the Market

Questions?